Forbidden Rapture
by Ashli28
Summary: Sequel to Without You. Read that First. Involves all the soulmate couples TheaEric, RashelQuinn, KellerGalen, MorgeadJez etc
1. Chapter 1

**Forbidden Rapture**

**Ashli28**

**Told you I'd write a sequel whether you wanted me to or not – Mwuahahahaa, I'm not sure EXACTLY what it's about (I have a general idea lol) but I didn't know about the other one either, so I think I can cope with the winging it heh.**

**A/N I know UC Davis is in California (or at least I think it is heh) and Las Vegas is in Nevada (?) but assume the commute is easy by car – taking half an hour a day. Just pretend. Please?**

**There'll be quite a lot of Thea and Eric solely at the start, this is because I need to develop the story a bit before I get onto the main plot, it's not going straight into it like the other.**

The night of Keller and Galen's wedding day, Thea and Eric went home. Not to Thierry's mansion, which had its left wing rebuilt, not to Galen's mansion, but to the place where they had been living since Blaise had been born: Eric's mother's house. It made Thea seem more normal somehow, living in her boyfriend's mother's house instead of at the charity of a vampire who had lived for thousands of years. Apparently she was alone in this way of thinking: Eric told her he was going insane. She believed him.

It had been a nice day, Thea thought with a smile, she had ended up giving Keller the necklace that Blaise had made, it suited her better than Thea – who rarely wore such elaborate jewellery – and since she and Eric hadn't bought them anything else, due to being busy with Blaise and trying to keep up with studying so that they could take the finals at Davis without even having gone to the school she felt that she should have it, the two couples got on exceptionally well, although Thea and Keller were so different, mainly because Galen and Eric were so alike. Eric was the best man at the wedding, so they had to give them _something._ They had taken Blaise, hoping she wouldn't cry, and she'd been as good as gold – unlike the real Blaise, who would have screamed the whole place down in her disgust of commitment to just one person for the rest of their lives – for a lot of the people there, it had been the first time they'd seen her. When she was asleep, they had cooed over what an adorable baby she was; when she had her eyes open, they debated about whether it was possible for a witch to be an old soul.

James, who had just returned with Poppy from their visitation with Poppy's parents, had thankfully not lived up to his threat to kill Eric, and Thea detected Poppy's influence in that. Poppy had done the most cooing, Thea was sure she was going to be broody, too bad she couldn't have kids.

In fact, Thea was sure most of the girls would be bothering their soulmates with their broodiness, and even a couple of the boys. The only girls with no interest had been Rashel, Jez and Keller. Gillian had exclaimed that she was going to kidnap the baby, Poppy had cooed, Hannah had demanded to hold her every other minute and Maggie had warned them both sufficiently to make sure the kid got a lot of exercise – in these canned-entertainment days, a child can never have too much soccer. Galen had just stared in adoration and turned to Keller, she had laughed and said they had their hands full with Malak – her little brother – never mind his ideas.

She was driving now, and it gave her a rush. Freedom to drive wherever she may wish, instead of lying in a hospital bed waiting for her baby to be born. Eric had drove them to the wedding, and she was driving them back, it was better that way – it meant they both had a turn looking after Blaise in the back. Their friends didn't believe that they actually _fought _over who was going to put her to bed and change her nappy and feed her – not saying 'I did it last time, you do it' but instead 'you got to do it last time, it's my turn!'

In fact, she didn't believe it either. What kind of crazy fools were they? She laughed.

"What's so funny?" Eric asked quietly, "is my singing that bad?"

He had been singing 'twinkle twinkle little star' with some versed that Thea was convinced he had probably made up as he went along. His singing wasn't that bad, it wasn't that good either, but she couldn't complain; even if he wasn't up to record-deal standard, she loved to hear his voice, in speech or song, it didn't matter which. She sighed heavenly; they were young, happy, with a beautiful daughter and wonderful family on his side, what more could they want?

"No, it's not your singing," Thea said truthfully, her own voice a whisper in case Blaise was asleep. She wished the former Blaise was still alive to see her, but if she really _was _Blaise reincarnated, Blaise _couldn't _have seen herself, it was paradox, would this baby have been born if Blaise didn't die? "It was the memory of Maggie's face when I told her we argued over who got the honour of changing Blaise's nappy each time…"

"We're terrible, aren't we?" Eric agreed in a sheepish voice, "I couldn't form a coherent sentence all day without using baby-talk. The other guys were teasing me for it."

"Poor baby," Thea said, sticking her lower-lip out in a mock expression of sadness, Eric – in the back – picked it up from the mirror and grinned. Neither cared about teasing from the others, they both got that. Thea had got a lot of it too when she talked about Blaise, when every word she spoke had something to do with Blaise. But why not? How could she ever go back to talking about bands and clothes? Impossible…

"Are you happy, Eric?" she asked abruptly. Maybe he wished that he was like the other guys, who's biggest concern was getting their soulmate to become vampires like them. Okay, he'd never have had that problem, but something mirroring it…

He understood what she meant, of course he did, they practically shared the same mind, connected through their souls in a way neither understood, in a way _nobody _understood, not even the elders, he blinked in surprise, "of course."

"Even though we have a baby to take care of for the next eighteen years, until we're thirty-six?"

"_Especially _because we have a baby to take care of for the next eighteen years," he said seriously, and Thea watched through the mirror as he raked a hand through his hair – his trademark of nervousness. He was going to ask something and wasn't sure whether he'd like the answer to it.

"Even though we're only eighteen ourselves?"

"Even though we're only eighteen…Thea, why? You're not…I mean, do you…you don't regret it, do you?"

Oh.

_Goddess no._

"I regret a lot of things, Eric. But you and Blaise are _not _one of them," she assured him, "I'm so glad you didn't go and fall in love with Pilar."

Eric snorted. Not a malicious snort, not in anyway mean to Pilar, just a snort that he could ever love anyone but Thea, "I'm just glad someone told me there was a rattlesnake that day," he grinned, "so I could attempt to save your life and end up getting bitten."

"How very valiant, I'm sure you _loved_ being bitten," she rolled her eyes.

"well, it meant you had to touch me to heal me…" before she could pretend to get angry, "and because of that, we found out we were soulmates, if it hadn't been for that…"

"You would have been in a mental institute after going madly insane and attempting to burn to school down, or suchlike," Thea finished, "just another toy for Blaise."

"Oh man…you shouldn't have said her name, Thea, she was asleep, when you said that her eyes just opened…" he pretended to be annoyed, but Thea could tell he was glad of a _second _time to rock her to sleep. He started singing again, and the whole weird conversation was forgotten.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Eric had taken Blaise out of her car seat to get her to sleep, even though he accepted fully that the gentle movement of the car would have lulled her to sleep, it filled him with a certain contentment to rock his daughter to sleep. Everything he had told Thea was true, he didn't regret a thing, even if he had to give up UC Davis, his dream of being a vet, and work in a convenience story, he would be perfectly happy.

Now, his legs had gone to sleep with Blaise resting on them, and they had pulled up outside his house and Thea was opening the door to his side, reaching for Blaise to take her from him so that he might be able to stand up. Reluctantly, he passed her over, then got out of the car himself, slamming the door. It was dark, but there were still plenty of people on his street. As soon as he got out, a light was flashed in his eyes, and he squinted.

"Hey! Eric!" someone on the other end of the light – a torch, Eric presumed – called, and Eric stepped out of the light so he could see again without being blinded. There was a bunch of people standing on the other side of the road: mostly guys but some girls. Now, a few of them jogged over to him and Thea, he could see their faces. One of them was Josh, a guy he had known from school, another Pilar, the others he knew from school but couldn't quite place – he'd been somewhat of a loner. Hopefully, after a minute or two of chitchat, he could go inside with no need to use their names.

"Hi, Josh," he said when they were close enough to talk to without shouting – thus waking Blaise – addressing only the one who had yelled him, "what you doing round here?"

"Well, you might not have noticed from all of the years we've known each other," Josh rolled his eyes, "but I live there. Where've you been, man? Haven't seen you forever! Davis, right?"

"Yeah, Davis," Eric agreed softly, wishing the guy would calm down and lower his voice.

"Why you whis…" he seemed to notice Thea for the same time, "Oh, sorry, didn't see you. You two are still dating? Wow, Eric's first girlfriend and still…" he trailed off when he noticed Blaise, "cute kid, your sister?"

Eric already had an arm around Thea's waist, now he squeezed her gently "our daughter."

"Your…?" Josh repeated, "oh, if someone like you can be irresponsible, we're all doomed. We're all gonna have squawking kids," he sighed, as though it was one of the terrible truths of the universe.

"Actually," Thea said with a gentle smile, "we planned to have Blaise."

It was as far away from the truth as it possibly could be, but it might as well have been true for the volume at which they loved their daughter.

"Blaise…you named her after your sister?" Josh asked, smiling, most people at their high school had thought – despite their differences – Thea and Blaise were sisters, "wow…haven't seen her around for a while either, she owes me a date, maybe I should call her…"

"I wouldn't," Thea said. Her voice was matter-of-fact, but there was so much pain behind it Eric had to wince, "she was murdered a few months ago."

"Oh man…I'm sorry…" Josh really seemed contrite, but Eric had already started moving Thea towards the door, "we've got to go, Josh. Talk to you sometime."

"Yeah…uh sure…" the guy called back, turning away to his friends.

"You okay?" Eric whispered.

"Sure. I think I'm almost getting over her death," Thea said, and he could tell that she was lying, "but did you see the way Pilar looked crestfallen when you told them Blaise was our daughter? She still likes you."

He laughed shortly, "I doubt it, but it wouldn't matter even if she did. Because I. Love. You."


	2. Chapter 2

**FORGOT TO DO A DISCLAIMER.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Not the characters, most of them anyway, not the night world, not the notions, blah, blah, blah, I don't own the places where they go: Las Vegas, California, UC Davis or anything else. I just own the plot. If L.J.Smith or whoever _does _own Las Vegas, California and UC Davis wants to sue, feel free, but I'm only 15 – how much do you think you're gonna get! **

Chapter 2.

Thea awoke hearing a girl's voice downstairs shouting 'Brandy!' at the top of her lungs. It may have sounded like a demand for underage alcohol to most people, but not to Thea. She instantly placed the voice as being Rosemund's – and she would be calling for their Cocker Spaniel puppy: Brandy. Hopefully not the drink. She closed her eyes again, trying to sleep, but failed now that she had come out of her unconsciousness.

She turned over in the bed, noticing Eric wasn't beside her, and glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table, the numbers glared out at her: 9:14, she breathed a sigh of relief, she'd thought it was going to be a lot later than that. Yawning, she pushed the covers off and sat up, stretching her arms above her head, she could see the cot on the other side of the room, but Blaise wasn't inside. Eric had probably taken her downstairs so that she wouldn't wake her, Thea smiled, _sweet_.

When she had first come to live with the Ross family, the few months where she and Eric finished school before heading to Circle Daybreak Headquarters for the summer, and intending to stay there through college, she had slept in Rosemund's room, which had been just fine with her and Eric – now, however, those sleeping arrangements seemed pretty stupid. They were instead sharing a bed that wasn't really big enough for two people until Mrs. Ross could get another one for them. The baby would sleep in their room until the nursery – formally the guest room – was decorated.

She stood, walking to the wardrobe and selecting very carefully a pair of beige jeans and a white off-the-shoulder sweater, she dressed quickly, pulling a brush then a comb swiftly through her hair – she didn't have time to straighten it, but it was almost naturally straight anyway – she dotted concealer under her eyes and brushed her lashes with brown mascara. She was ready ten minutes after she awoke, then she went downstairs.

The whole of the Ross family was sitting at the kitchen table. Eric had Blaise on his lap, a bottle poised at her mouth – she knew how lucky she had to have him, most guys, soulmated or not, wouldn't take to their kid that well – Rosemund was shovelling cereal into her mouth as she talked in animated tones about the new teacher at her school that she thought was sexist, Mrs. Ross was humming as she buttered toast.

Thea groaned. Why did the whole family have to be so energized first thing in the morning? She could barely force herself out of bed, felt like hell afterwards, and they could be talking and singing at this unholy hour. "Morning," she grunted, went to the kitchenette and opened a box of cereal, not aware of which one she'd picked up but not really caring, then took it to the table without any milk.

"Morning, Thea!" Cynthia Ross said, it was a little too happy for Thea. Her head hurt like hell, and this woman was yelling – excitedly – like she was going to do one of those things that drove Eric to insanity.

"You know, Thea," Rosemund stopped her rant to talk conversationally – and, even better, without her mouth full – "we do have milk, other than baby milk, in this house."

She glanced at the girl uncomprehendingly. Blinked. _What is she on about? _Milk? "What about it?"

"Your cereal, duh!" Rosemund laughed, rolling her eyes, "goddess, did you have too much to drink at that wedding last night?"

_Actually…_Thea wasn't completely sure she hadn't. She didn't normally feel like this at nine o'clock on a Saturday morning – possibly because she normally slept in until at least half ten.

"Leave Thea alone, Roz," Eric's mother laughed, handing Thea a mug of coffee, she accepted it gratefully with a smile; Rosemund didn't deflate her excitement though. She was about to say something when the phone rang "I'll get it!" she called, speeding towards the hall.

"What's her rush?" Thea asked softly, following the girl with her eyes, Eric glanced over and his own eyes crinkled into a smile, "you missed that bit of the conversation, Thea, but Roz has a boyfriend – apparently. She wont let me or mom talk to him. Not even to say 'hello, yes, she's right here.' We have a theory he doesn't exist."

The girl was only ten. Thea had to smile. "Thea, it's for _you," _the girl grinned, stuck her tongue out at Eric after she heard the last bit of the conversation, and then handed the phone over.

Oh no, no way. No one could make her talk to them at this hour. No chance. Against herself, she took the phone, "Hello."

"Hiya Thea!" an excited voice boomed down the phone, and Thea closed her eyes. Poppy. Poppy North with as much energy as the whole Ross family on a morning, they'd become close after a while, but she had better not be phoning just for a chat at _that _hour.

_You're getting lazy, Thea, _she told herself.

_It's okay. I have an excuse. I'm a mother._

"Please, Poppy, I'm _begging _that you aren't calling just for a chat. If you are, couldn't it have waited until I'm half alive?" Rosemund snorted in the kitchen, Mrs. Ross put the plates down and Brandy climbed up her leg.

"Haha," Poppy's elated voice sang down the phone, "no, I am phoning on _business," _she rolled the last word out as far as it would go.

Brandy was on her lap and trying to chew the phone in his version of 'conversation' Thea knocked him back a little, "down boy, I'm on the phone."

"What's Eric doing?" Poppy cried out in surprise, "even _Jamie _leaves _me _alone when _I'm _on the phone!"

Thea felt the blood go to her face, probably making her go as red as the tablecloth, she lowered her voice, and muttered, "I wasn't talking about _Eric, _Poppy, I was talking to the dog," Mrs. Ross let out a giggle, Thea didn't turn, but she wouldn't have been surprised to see if Eric's face wasn't the exact shade of hers.

"Oh." There was a pause, "who's that laughing?"

"His mother."

"Oh goddess," Poppy was giggling like anything now, "I'm so sorry. Anyway, _business, _Jamie's trying to hurry me up."

"All this from the one who leaves you alone on the phone?" Thea mocked slightly.

"Exactly. Anyway, Thierry told us to call you. Actually, he told Jez and Morgead to phone you, but they haven't, I don't think, so I'll do it. He wants a meeting of all the soulmate couples – something _urgent_ – except Keller and Galen of course, he's not going to bother them on their honeymoon, not after everything…anyway, he wants the rest of us there. The whole shabam, the Night World's dug up an old prophecy or something. Sounds interesting. Dangerous interesting."

"We'll be there," Thea said, looking sideways at Eric, "Or I will be, at least. I'll have to _ask _Eric," she said in a voice that told everyone in the room that she'd _tell _Eric and he would comply, "what about Blaise."

Poppy's voice rose three octaves, "oooh! Bring her too! She's such a cutey-wootey," Thea heard James groan, she did too, "save the baby talk until you see her, but seriously – is Thierry going to be happy about a screaming baby in his meeting?"

"Absolutely." Poppy agreed, "Hannah will make sure of it, besides…screaming baby! You can't tell me that kid is anything _less _than perfect. We're going to adopt, Jamie and me, he hasn't got around to agreeing yet – but he will if he knows what's good for him. That's it, I've gotta go now, maybe by tomorrow you'll be alive. The meeting's tomorrow, by the way – at ten. Bring the kid, or the rest of us will be forced to hurt you."

"Will do," Thea laughed, and then turned the cordless phone off with the flick of a button, Eric looked up at her, and she looked down, towards the cereal, which had magically developed milk.

"Who was that then?" Mrs. Ross asked cheerfully, biting into her toast, she raised an eyebrow delicately, her glasses going with it.

"Poppy, she's my cousin's girlfriend. They were at the same place as Eric and me over the summer." Which was true enough, only they always stayed there before Poppy had gotten in touch with her family; she had nowhere else to go.

With his eyes, Eric quizzed her, she mouthed the word 'meeting' at him, and he nodded slowly. She took a mouthful of her cereal, chewed, and lifted the spoon to her lips for a second time.

"Oh. So, Eric, when are you going to make Thea an honest woman and ask her to marry you?" this was such a change of subject that Thea didn't comprehend it for a few minutes. When she did, she spluttered, trying to keep her cereal and milk in her mouth, she glanced over Eric: he'd let the bottle drop to Blaise's bib and was paling. Mrs. Ross was a lot of good things, but subtle wasn't one of them.

While everyone else was silent: Mrs. Ross waiting for an answer, Thea just speechless, and Eric probably wishing he was anywhere but the kitchen table, Rosemund frowned, "you know, I hate that expression. Thea is an honest woman, marrying a _man _doesn't change that. So sexist…"

All Thea knew was that she had to get out of there, away from the kitchen. The atmosphere was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. This time, she wasn't going to run, leaving Eric to tail her in his jeep, instead she tried to think of an excuse.

"Erm…I think I'll go and…erm…" Thea made a cutting motion with her hand, she looked at Eric, then at Blaise. She was still in her sleep-suit, "Get Blaise an outfit!" she burst out, hurrying to the stairs.

Behind her, she could hear Mrs. Ross laughing and could feel Eric silently fuming at his mother.

Now she got what he meant when he said he was going insane living with his mother.

**There'll be some action in a couple of chapters. I promise. This bit _is _kinda necessary, see why later :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter sucks, but it's for the next chapter, which shouldn't suck quite so much.**

Chapter 3.

"Erm…are you mad at me, Thea?" Eric said as he stopped the car outside what had formerly been known as the Circle Daybreak Headquarters. They hadn't really talked since the day before, when his mother had insisted on embarrassing him in front of his soulmate – he could normally take the questions like that, but not when Thea was just a foot away – now, the day after, he wasn't sure whether he had wanted to drop to one knee right there in the kitchen and produce a diamond ring. They hadn't talked properly since breakfast the day before, not even to argue over Blaise.

"Mad at you?" Thea chortled from the back seat, "no! Why would you think that?"

"Well, you haven't talked to me since yesterday…"

"You haven't talked to me either," she replied indignantly.

"I was embarrassed," he said in defence, "my mother…"

She laughed again, and it was like music to him, "so was I, Eric. Just let it go. Your mother is sweet, but I don't think she understands things like humiliation." With that comment, she groped for the door handle, swung it open, and unbuckled the baby car seat, lifting it by the handle and getting out the car. Blaise was awake and staring at everything in wonder, Eric was already out of the car, and as he slammed the door shut, her caught Thea's hand. Electricity shot through her arm, through her shoulders, and almost made her drop the seat in the other hand. She smiled – who needed speech when you had the soulmate connection, anyway?

They walked through the huge building towards the wing that Thierry had already had rebuilt, weaving through black rose decorations and white plaster, they found themselves in what had been the living room, where all the meetings had taken place. A quick look around the room told them almost everyone was there already. Poppy and James were sitting in the corner together, James on the floor, Poppy on the couch; Hannah and Thierry were sitting on the couch in the middle, opposite Delos and Maggie, Quinn and Rashel were at the window, sitting on the windowsill, Gillian and David on the floor in between Delos and Maggie. The only couple missing was Jez and Morgead – and themselves, of course.

"Ooh!" Poppy squealed, jumping up from the sofa, stepping on James's hand in her rush to get to Eric and Thea or – more likely – Blaise, when she got over, she snatched the car seat from Thea's hand and looked in at Blaise, who gurgled and made an indefinable squeal, "She talked!" Poppy exclaimed, looked at Thea, "what did she say?"

"Nothing, Poppy, she can't talk yet," she answered, "wont be saying her first words for a few months yet, she's just starting making noises now," smiling gently, she leaned down as though to pick the carrier up, but Poppy had danced off towards James.

"Look, uncle James!" she announced, even though he was actually a second cousin, not an uncle – neither Eric or Thea bothered to correct her, it was cute – "isn't she the cutest thing you've seen this side of forever? Don't you want one, huh? Huh?"

James only glared, "you know, I have a whole new reason to want to kill you now, Eric," he said conversationally, "she _will not shut up!"_

"I have the same problem," David confided from across the room.

"Well, at least you could…" James started, then trailed off, as though he'd changed his mind about what he was going to say.

"Yeah, me too James," Delos agreed in relation to having the same problem.

Hannah hit Thierry before he could agree. Quinn just looked smug, "well _I _don't have that problem."

"No, that problem's entirely mine," Rashel commented dryly, everyone laughed; Thea gripped Eric's hand and pulled him to the floor, seeing as how all the seats were already taken.

"So, what is this all about, Thierry?" Eric asked, assuming that they'd already been told. Thierry shook his head, "I'm waiting for Jez and Morgead to get here before I tell you all."

"Hannah?" Thea asked, and everyone knew why she was doing it. Hannah was a lot easier than Thierry to get information from – she was almost an ordinary teenager, after all, she revelled in gossip.

"You're the _third _to try that trick on me today, Thea!" she exclaimed, "but Thierry hasn't even told _me!_"

"Not telling his beloved soulmate?" Quinn asked dryly, "We're all in serious trouble."

Suddenly, the doors burst open, not quietly as they had when Thea and Eric came in, but angrily, with force, Rashel dropped into a fighting stance, Delos and Quinn reaching for weapons, as a voice sailed through the air, they all heard the voice before they recognized the people "I tell you Morgead – I won _fair and square! _Claire said so, and Claire doesn't lie!"

A flash of red, spinning through the air angrily, a flash of black. That was all they could see of the people now.

"Sure she does, everyone lies, she didn't want her cousin to get hurt feelings," another voice trailed through into the room, "it was _quite obvious _that I beat _you."_

The flashes finally formed the bodies of two people they all knew well: Morgead and Jez.

"In your dreams, Morgie, you beat a wild power? Heck no…"

"Not in my dreams, Jezebel, in _reality!" _

"Nice to have you two back to normal," Maggie grinned.

"Normal? This isn't normal, this is outrage!" Jez hissed, slamming herself down, "he's so damn wrong. He's such a goddamn sore loser."

"A sore loser, me? You're…"

"I'M GLAD YOU'RE ALL HERE," Thierry yelled over the noise.

"The one who wont admit defeat – ever!"

"BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS…"

"Yeah, and you're the one who claims its only your affection for me that lets me win."

"THE NIGHT WORLD HAS DUG UP A NEW PROPHECY!"

"It is!"

"IT MAY EVEN BE AS IMPORTANT AS THAT OF THE WILD POWERS…"

"I beat you as a _human _onceMorgead!"

"Will you two _shut up?" _James yelled, still in a bad mood, "Thierry is trying to talk about something a little more important than your little game!"

"Thank you James," Thierry said in his proper voice again, "we don't know what the prophecy is right now, we're looking into it, but we have reason to suspect that it has to do with one of you," he waved his hand to indicate everyone in the room, "or me and Hannah. One of the couples anyway, it..."

This time the interruption came from the direction of Poppy and James, but it wasn't either of them, it was Blaise, she was crying. Poppy looked up, startled, "I didn't do anything!"

"She'll just be hungry," Eric said, feeling an argument brewing, "she hasn't fed since breakfast," he stood up and took Blaise from her seat, walked over to where Thea was waiting with a bottle, he reached for it but Thea pulled it out of reach, "you fed her at breakfast."

"Yeah, but then you got to look after her in the back of the car," Eric said.

"You can look after her on the way back."

"I want to feed her," Eric replied stubbornly. He realised the others were all gaping at them in morbid fascination, "_you _can look after her on the way back." Maggie was the first to break the silence; "lord, I didn't think you were serious when you said you fought…" she blinked.

"Where's your dignity, man?" David asked, pointing his question at Eric, "at least Morgead was arguing about a fight."

"Gone," Eric answered with a smile.

"A long time ago by the looks of it," Rashel added, "Thea's too."

"No way, women are supposed to be like that," Delos argued, got a hit from Maggie, "I mean…yeah…I meant what I said," she hit him again.

Thea laughed and Eric grinned, seeing Thea's hand come down, he reached and grabbed for the bottle, "thank you."

Everyone watched as he fed Blaise, blotting spilled milk with the bib, until Poppy said, "_Look, _see how _adorable _they are together."

"You're falling for Eric now?" James asked teasingly.

She glared, "I'm falling for the baby, James – get a clue."

"OKAY," Thierry yelled, "anyway, where was I?"

"Prophecy, had no idea what it was, involving one of the soulmate couples," Jez drawled.

"You heard all that in the middle of arguing?" Gillian asked, surprised.

"Thank you, Jez," Thierry cut in again, "the point is that you should all take the necessary precautions. You are all welcome to stay here, of course, and we'll transfer headquarters back from Galen's mansion. He wrinkled his nose as if perhaps he'd been enjoying the peace, "or stay at Galen's. Somewhere secure and safe."

"Yeah, somewhere secure and safe," Jez rolled her eyes, "like this mansion was when it got broken into? It had just as many guards as the Drache's does now, just as many security systems, they still got through."

Thierry nodded, raking one hand through his hair, "but is there anywhere better to go?"

No one had an answer to that.

"You said you don't know anything, Thierry," Thea said softly, "but you must know _something _to be warning just us. What is it?"

He hesitated, as though he didn't want to speak, "my spies couldn't recollect the whole thing. They said it was like a poem, surprisingly long, but they could remember one line, _power resulted from a soulmates love._

"Power…" Delos repeated, "You don't think that it's targeting me or Jez…?"

"No, it couldn't," Hannah supplied, seemingly thinking hard, "That power isn't resulted from love, it just _is. _But all of us have gained power being with our soulmates. it's a given," suddenly she looked up, moved her eyes from Rashel to Poppy to Jez, "except…power resulted…vampires are more powerful than humans, and Rashel and Poppy only got turned through love, and Jez starting having blood meals for the same reason."

"No." Morgead said softly, "Not for love, Jez did it so that she could help more in the millennium battle."

"Okay," Thierry nodded, "that was a good point, I hadn't thought of it," He looked at his soulmate in admiration, "Rashel and Quinn, Poppy and James especially, but in case we're wrong – everyone else too, be on your _guard."_

"Yes _sir!" _Rashel snapped out a salute, the other three looked unbelievably worried.

"Don't worry. This wont be like before," Thierry went on, "we'll find the prophecy, we'll know who they're targeting, and we'll keep you safe. I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

"_I want that baby dead!" _Morana Redfern screamed as loud as she possibly could. Everyone in her command jumped back, as though stung by murderous bees. She loved that power, loved the feeling it gave her, but today wasn't the day to bathe in it. Today was the day to start planning to kill the child, the one that the prophecy spoke of as the Destroyer:

_The Destroyer, it comes, to kill the enemy,_

Power resulted from soulmates love, to be wielded only by them   
The first of her kind, ever to breathe, named through misfortune, 

_A miracle of all free peoples,_

_To kill her is to achieve the power of the gods,_

_The ability for either side to win the Great War,_

At one time, it may have rhymed, not translated into English however. Morana had only one interest; she wanted that baby _dead. _There were other prophecies to back it up, and they all told of the baby being born in the months after the 'freedom of kings' another prophecy that Morana wished she had read before. She saw the king as Galen, who was – of course – now the king of the shape shifters. Never again would she be beaten, she intended to kill the baby and have her side achieve ultimate power.

She wasn't with the Night World, or Daybreak, she made her own team – a team fixed not on _Night People's _survival. No…not any more.

Survival of the Vampires, it was all that mattered. The shape shifters? Damn them to hell for following the first house. The werewolves? Snivelling idiots that they were, they wouldn't understand as she executed them, laughing. The witches? They were as bad as the shape shifters, worse…practically humans.

Humans? They would live, as a source of food – nothing more.

Sure, she had werewolves, witches, shape shifters, and even humans working for her as well as vampires, but they didn't know her great plan. Once the war was won, she'd wipe them all out and the vampires would have the world as their own playground, not having to share the humans with shape shifters or werewolves, not having to listen to the self-righteousness of those _witches._

As soon as Keller was freed to go and play house with the king of the shape shifters, Morana had been searching for the baby, knowing that it must be one of those righteous couples Circle Daybreak were always parading. Then she found her, not the baby: Thea Harman. She was lying in the human hospital, in pain – _pathetic. _Her friend Holly was down the hall. First she dealt with that Holly – she could tell that she had wood poison that she would probably live through it as a witch. There was a solution to that, feed her vampire blood – make her as much vampire for her to die eventually from it, and in the process scare Circle Daybreak when the humans noticed.

She had gone back to finish Thea Harman off. One of the last Harman girls, leaving only Gillian and Illiana, wouldn't _that _shake up Circle Daybreak? Let them think she was after the Draches _and _the Harmans, but she had already read the prophecy, and as she crossed the room, she read a card that was sitting by the side of the bed, it caught her attention only because it had a picture of a baby on, the word CONGRATULATIONS in pink writing.

Thea, and I suppose Eric too I didn't want to send a card saying get well soon, they had flowers on the front and were boring, thought you might like this one more. Get well soon though! And congrats on the new baby!  
Lots of love, from both of us! Gillian and David 

_X X X _

This had surprised the vampire and she had scoured the whole of the hospital for the baby, eventually finding – by pretending to be a friend of Thea's – that the baby wouldn't be born for another four months. She had remembered the due date and made a mental note to come back a week before then to watch Thea and her kid.

She hadn't counted on the baby being born premature and no matter who she talked to, she couldn't find out where Thea and Eric had taken the kid. She did discover that the kid was called 'Blaise' – _named through misfortune, _her namesake had been killed by a vampire of the Night World not long before.

Also, from a nurse that she tortured – before killing – she found out that the baby had been a miracle, practically. For her to live through Thea's stabbing, then be born premature with no difficulties, already perfect.

The more she learnt, the more convinced she was. There was just one thing puzzling her:_ the first of her kind…_it was rare nowadays for a witch and a human to have a child together, but that was only because of the Night World laws, long ago it had been frequent, and still happened between lost witches and humans, Morana was going to give up – until she heard some very interesting news through the Night World. she had been in a club, drinking, talking to vampires, when one of them had brought a very important matter up.

"Have you heard about Blaise Harman?" 

Morana's eyes had shot up into her hair, but she had been cool, "_the girl who was part of a raid on the warehouse and got bled dry? One of the four last Harman girls?"_

"_Not _that _Blaise. Blaise Harman-Ross" the girl had laughed, already at least partially drunk, "Thea Harman – in Circle Daybreak – she had a baby with that _vermin _she says is her soulmate. Stupid Daybreakers, soulmates…" _she had snorted, and Morana had felt herself start to lose her temper, _"anyway, I have a shape shifter friend, and he told me that he saw the baby at the Drache's wedding. It had smoky grey eyes when one parent had brown and the other green."_

Morana had rolled her eyes; _"Harman had probably been playing away, could you imagine being with vermin always?"_

"_You don't know Thea," _the girl had laughed, _"or any of them with their itty-bitty soulmates. This one had grey eyes, like the other Harman girl: Blaise, and people say that they bristle with intelligence, not with wisdom, but with intelligence anyhow, like a new old soul. They think she's the first ever witch old soul!"_

The first of her kind…

That girl had been very informative; Morana had made sure she didn't suffer too much when she killed her.

Now, she was preparing to go to the house of Eric Ross's family, she was going to kill that baby once and for all if her team could get moving. She had a submachine gun in her hands and she'd discovered where Thea was living from stalking out Thierry's mansion, as soon as she had recognized a blonde woman with a baby, along with a blonde man, getting out her jeep, she had tightened her hold on her gun, then realised there were too many guns to try anything. Instead, she waited until they came out again and drove home, following them, coming back to put a team together before she went after the happy couple and their adorable little baby.

Now, it was time.

As a collective unit, she and her team started towards the door. Driving to the Ross-Harman house in so many different vans and cars that the whole road would be congested until the baby was dead. Morana wanted the chance of killing the baby, so – flanked by a couple of shape shifters – she made the way to the roof of a nearby house. From there, she could see the crib for the baby, a blonde girl was standing over it, staring in – it seemed – a sandy haired guy walked in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and peeking over the baby. The girl – presumably Thea – looked abck and kissed him.

She was tempted to kill them both, along with the baby. But Thea was a powerful witch – what if Morana didn't kill them on first shot – or only got Eric? – She could grab the baby and run.

So, she waited until Eric and Thea were at the other side of the room, in bed – the lights off – she waited half an hour. then she machine-gunned the crib until the thing was blown into pieces.

She waited for the strength to come.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

She woke, whether it be mother's intuition or the sound of the bullets crashing through the window, she woke with a jolt. Watching in astonishment as the first bullet splinters through the cot, then another, and another, until the whole thing was lying on the floor in a pile. She sat up and screamed, "Blaise!" again and again, Eric stirred beside her, squinted at the crib, Rosemund and his mother running through the door of their room, one after the other, "Oh my god," Cynthia Ross gulped, tears running down her cheeks as she looked from the window to the crib to the window again, "Blaise…"

"It's okay, it's okay," Eric sat up and held his soulmate, Thea realised there was wetness on her cheeks, but took a little longer to comprehend that they were tears. She felt herself beating at Eric with her fists "it is _not _okay, our _daughter _was in that crib."

"No, no she wasn't," he soothed her softly, and she was about to shake him, yelling at him that he was in denial when she remembered, she turned to look over her shoulder at the baby who, surprisingly, wasn't screaming in fear over all the noise, but was looking up at Thea with such a cute expression it made her heart melt.

The night before, Thea had gone to bed early with flu, Blaise had been ill, coughing with her weak little body, and Thea had been worried she might have the same as what she had, so she moved her from the cot to the bed beside her. They had slept for a while until the baby started screaming and Thea had gotten up to look for her pacifier, knowing she must have left it in the cot. That was when Eric had come upstairs to bed.

Neither of them had moved Blaise back to the crib.

Now that she could remember this, Thea calmed a little, until she realised that even though whoever was gunning for her baby hadn't succeeded this time, they were after _her baby! _Why? It didn't make any sense…

"My god," Eric's mother repeated again, staring at the mess that had been the crib, and then looking back at the bed, staring hard at Blaise, "my god…someone was…why?"

"Who've you peed off lately, Thea? Eric?" Rosemund asked, less emotionally, her voice almost flat.

"We've got to get out of here," Thea hissed, not answering either question, she rolled out of Eric's embrace, still dressed only in her night dress, and picked Blaise from the bed, Rosemund and Mrs. Ross were standing in the doorway, but she ducked under their arms with the baby, running down the stairs. Someone – whoever had been sent to kill Blaise – would be still outside, waiting for them to see if they'd succeeded, Thea couldn't take a completely healthy baby outside; she took a detour to the kitchen. Scoured the cupboards for ketchup, but there was none.

"Oh screw it," she reached for the knife rack, pulled out a butcher's knife. She could hear footsteps thundering down the stairs, gulped, trying to get up the nerve to do what she was planning, then – before she could think about it, sliced the knife down her own biceps. The pain was agony, but nothing compared to the memory of the thought that Blaise was dead.

"What the hell are you doing?" a familiar voice cut in to her thoughts as she smeared her own blood over her baby. The kid screamed, but Thea tried to muffle it by pressing the baby to her chest, she turned. Eric was standing there, staring at her, he wasn't calm either, neither of them could be in this situation, and seeing his girlfriend cut herself to lather the blood over his kid probably scared him. He'd put a shirt on over the jeans he'd ended up wearing for bed, crashing into it exhausted and not bothered enough to change.

"They'll be outside, waiting for us to bring her out. Think about it, Eric – they see a baby with no blood and they're going to come after us, at least this way maybe we'll buy some time."

He nodded, not as though he entirely agreed with her, then nodded with more force, "I'll go get the jeep, we're going to have to take my family with us too."

Thea nodded, but at last second she said "no," she couldn't live with herself if someone outside shot Eric, if he died because she had sent him to get the car, Blaise was crying and Thea handed her to him, "you're better at comforting her, _I'll _get the jeep."

He was going to argue; she knew he was. The keys were on the kitchen cabinet, and she grabbed them, ducking out of the door before anyone could stop her, running barefoot across to the garage, the keys in hand, her hands shook so hard that the keys wouldn't stay in the hole, but eventually the garage door popped open and she could see the car in the darkness.

Smash! The bullet had been silent, but now the plant pot beside the garage erupted into shards, "damnit," she hissed, annoyed at the idea of having to try and open another door, not just that – but actually drive the thing to the front door. The keys shook, her hand shook, the car was getting there, but – just like the garage – it too opened. She drove it to the front door – leaving the engine running – and flung open it open. Eric was waiting there with Blaise in his arms, his mother and sister behind him, "come on!" she encouraged, she grabbed Rosemund's hand and pulled the girl through into the front seat beside her. Bullets came shooting through the air, but they dodged almost all of them.

Almost all: she saw a bullet puncture the arm of Eric's little sister, another go through Eric's leg. The little girl screamed, Eric just winced and continued to the car, throwing himself too into the backseat, Blaise screaming – giving whoever was after her a pretty good idea that she wasn't dead - Mrs. Ross got the hint and got in after her son. Thea didn't wait for the doors to shut; she tore out of the doorway.

"What the fuck is going on?" Mrs. Ross screamed, mirroring her daughter's screams, "Why aren't any of you surprised? Why the hell are you all this calm?"

Thea had never known Mrs. Ross swear, but then this was a pretty radical situation. She ignored the woman, reached out blindly with one hand to grab Rosemund's arm, "Listen, Roz," the girl was still screaming, swerving down the road with one hand on the wheel, Thea shook her, "ROZ, listen to me! I _know _it hurtsI _know,_ but hang on…we'll get it out," she knew her soulmate had been shot too, but it was the ten year old she was worried about – Eric was old enough to know to remain calm. She wasn't.

"What is going on?" Mrs. Ross repeated.

Well, Thierry had said that maybe they should break cover to humans, Poppy already had to her family, it was Eric's family's turn now. Or just his mother actually, since his sister knew, Thea shouted as she pushed her foot down harder on the accelerator, not thinking anyone was following her, but not being sure. "Mrs. Ross, you're not going to believe a word of this. But remember that story I told Roz once? The first time we met? About witches and vampires? It wasn't just a story, not something Gran told me, or something I made up: it's _history. _Our history."

"_What _are you on about?" Mrs. Ross yelled, "our history?"

"No, not _your _history, _my _history. I'm not like you…I'm not human…I'm a witch, a hearth-woman, a daughter of Hellewise. A direct descendent, the Harman's are something like royalty."

"You are _insane!" _Mrs. Ross cursed, probably wondering how she could have tried to convince Eric to propose to this crazy girl. Thea smiled grimly.

"That's what we want people to think," she went on, "that witches and vampires are some loony's vision. That's _not _true, my grandmother was a witch, my dead cousin was a witch, my other dead cousin was a _vampire…_" she trailed off, "James is a vampire, Poppy's a vampire, I'm a witch. There's an organization for us all: The Night World."

"You _are _crazy!"

"She's not, mom," Eric put a hand on his mother's arm – she could see him through the mirror, he was wincing in pain, trying to keep Blaise on his knee while trying not to faint, he wasn't going to be much help persuading his mother, "hear her out."

"The night world," Thea went on, "hides us, which is why humans don't believe even if we wanted to tell them. There were two laws, don't tell a human about the night world and don't love a human – I broke both of those when I met Eric because of something called the soulmate principal. Everyone is soulmated to one person in the world, but most don't meet. Blaise, my cousin, was a witch version of a man-eater, but she didn't just love 'em and leave 'em, she loved them and drove them insane. I'd already met Eric and had healed him from a rattler bite, I had to touch him to do that, that's when I felt something, I didn't want to die – the laws were punishable by death – so I avoided him, but Blaise wanted him."

There was no need for all of this explanation, not really, but Thea explained anyway, because to be quiet would be to think about this, and she didn't want to do that. Mrs. Ross wasn't declaring her insane anymore, sitting – not calmly – and staring at her.

"I _couldn't _let that happen, and oh goddess, I'm sorry if I've gotten you all killed for it… I went after Eric instead of Blaise – I thought he'd be safer with me, if I just did a few low-key spells on him, not driving him insane like Blaise would – but the more time I spent with him, the more I fell in love with him. Blaise tried to kill him for a while, I was trying to save him, until the witch circles…well, it's a long story. They found out that we were in love. They would have killed us both, but decided to make us lose our memories instead. Blaise changed the liquid they'd have used to do that for iced tea and we didn't."

"I came home with Eric, that's why – not because Gran couldn't cope – we joined an organization which is anti-night world, pro-humans, they don't care that we're different species', that's why I got stabbed, I'm a healer, I was at a war zone when our friend, Keller: now the Queen of the shape shifters, was kidnapped. I was trying to save Holly. Blaise died then, Ash died then," she paused, gulping back tears, "and Blaise – baby Blaise, our daughter – she might be an old soul, she might be the reincarnation of my cousin. Now, you know just about everything. Why was Blaise targeted? I don't know, maybe because the night world thinks she's a freak. A friend of ours: Jez Redfern is half vampire and half human, they came after her parents and her because of it, but…that should have been impossible, this isn't, so I don't know – to be honest."

"You're insane," Mrs. Ross said, but not with much conviction.

"I wish," Thea said bitterly, "this could be all a dream."

"You said you could heal people – you were a healer, if you were, why are my son and daughter still in pain?"

"Because," Thea gritted her teeth, "I _can't _heal them until I have my herbs and supplies, and – on top of that – I'm driving."

"Are we going to Galen's or Thierry's?" Eric asked from the back of the jeep, his voice weak with pain.

"Thierry's. It's closer."

"It's also less protected."

"Well, that's a risk we're going to have to take. I _know _we got away from our house too easy…"

"Easy, you call that easy?" Rosemund interrupted her own crying for a while to stutter out those words.

"We should all be dead. maybe not you and your mom, but me and Eric and Blaise definitely. Compared to that, it was easy, and we're going to have to stay at Thierry's for a while. I need help you both before we go any further."


	6. Chapter 6

You know the drill, review please! Tah and here we are:

Chapter 5.

_The Destroyer, it comes, to kill the enemy,_

_Power resulted from soulmates love, _

_To be wielded only by them,  
_

_The first of her kind,_

_Ever to breathe, named through misfortune, _

_A miracle of all free peoples,_

_To kill her is to achieve the power of the gods,_

_The ability for either side to win the Great War._

What was that supposed to mean? Thierry had been studying the complete version ever since he had found it, using the one sentence to look through every single prophecy he could find in his paperwork and in the witch scrolls – which Mother Cybelle sent to him – at first it looked as though it was indicating Jez: the first of _her kind. _But to kill her wouldn't help Circle Daybreak win – the night world, yes, Daybreak, no – and it said that either side could win, depending on who killed this girl. Besides, Jez's name meant 'not exalted' after someone dying, eaten by dogs or something equally as fun. it might have been out of misfortune, but a lot of people had meanings to their names which weren't great. Why would Jez be special?

Either way, whether it was Jez or not, he had most of the soulmate couples staying in his mansion. Poppy and James were there, as were Quinn and Rashel, Jez and Morgead and Delos and Maggie, the only one's that weren't there were Thea and Eric, and Gillian and David who had gone home to their families. And Keller and Galen, of course. Thierry had been up studying the prophecy all night, and now – hearing a lot of shouting down the hall – he wondered if the caffeine was making him delusional. Still, he got up from his desk and went to the door, where Nilsson was – along with Poppy, James, Lupe and four other figures.

He squinted – no, not four. Five. Poppy was holding the baby in her arms, rocking it gently, Thea was leaning to the side a little, her arm around Eric's waist, his arms around her neck, she seemed to be holding him up. A woman and small girl who looked a little like Eric were also there, the woman carrying the girl.

They were all bleeding, even the baby. Thierry could see his new carpet rapidly being replaced, not that he was bothered, but that was easier to focus on than anything else, "Thea!" he called, because Eric didn't look in the mood for talk, "what happened?"

"Someone shot at Blaise, and no, we don't know why," she spoke in a rush, "luckily, they didn't get to her, but they shot Eric and Roz, I need to get them somewhere to heal him, and…" she broke off somewhere, "I broke cover to Eric's mother."

"That doesn't matter," Thierry shook his head dismissively, "come on, I'd say you could take them upstairs, but I don't think you'd make it," he lead them to the living room, his mind working over time, was it possible that Eric and Thea were the one's they were after? Or their baby? He wouldn't have guessed them in a thousand years."

"I thought when you said we'd be going to the leader of that organization's house, that he'd be around."

"That's Thierry," Thea pointed an aimless finger, but Mrs. Ross followed it anyway, "Him, but he's so…young."

"He's thousands of years old. He's a vampire," Thea said in an exasperated tone, "it doesn't _matter," _Eric collapsed on the couch and Thea started off towards the storeroom where they kept all their herbs and amulets."

Thierry followed her with his eyes, confused. Even if Eric and Thea were attacked, they weren't one of a kind species' – Thea was a witch and Eric a human – goddess knew there were enough of them. Then he felt a nudge at his back, and Poppy was there with Blaise.

Then it clicked. The _result _of soulmates love: a baby. Named through misfortune: Blaise's death had been unfortunate. A miracle: doctors said she should never have been alive. The first of her kind: the first witch old soul.

To kill her is to win the war: they had tried to kill Blaise.

"The Prophecy," he muttered, sitting down abruptly, _could it be_? He took one look at the kid, _yes._

"What about it, Thierry?" Poppy asked innocently, sitting down with the Destroyer in her arms, soothing her.

"_that baby is the Destroyer!" _he howled it loud enough for everyone in the house to ehar, then he calmed, "you're going to have to get everyone together, Poppy. This is _big."_

"On my way," she agreed, starting off towards the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

Eric felt kind of groggy and he suspected a large part of it was not to do with his leg. It was the whole situation they'd found themselves in; finding out his girlfriend was actually his soulmate and that she was a witch with an insane cousin who would have given Aphrodite a run for her money? Sure, why not? Finding out that you were going to be a father at eighteen, in only four months? Great! Finding out your baby's the Destroyer who could win the war for either side if only she died? No, not good.

"I've found it!" Thierry yelled, he was flipping through a document, "a similar prophecy, it speaks of a baby being born after Galen got Keller back and became king, and that she has to be killed before her first birthday or else no aid goes to either side."

"Why is that?" Hannah asked calmly – all right for her to be calm, Eric thought. She wasn't the one whose daughter was in danger. His leg was aching, stretched out on the sofa, long legs out in front of him, Thea sat in front of his legs, holding Blaise as though she could form a protective shield around all three. Strangely, his mother and sister were at this meeting too, not only the soulmate couples but Lupe and Nilsson, Jeanette, Winnie and Nissa and Illiana.

"Something to do with purity, the more a person grows, the more and more impure they become," Thierry said in the same infuriatingly calm tone, "Beyond that, the Destroyer…" at this, Eric cracked. She was a girl, she had a name and it wasn't The Destroyer.

"Her name's Blaise," he choked out, he felt wetness in his eye, and he tried to keep it there and off his cheeks. He couldn't cry, he had to be there for Thea, but it was hard.

"Pardon?" Thierry asked, whether in surprise or not really hearing him, he wasn't sure, everyone turned to look at Thea and Eric if they hadn't been doing so anyway.

"He said 'her name's Blaise,'" Thea repeated, and she _was _crying, she wasn't even stopping it, "why do you all have to be so unemotional, talking about her as though she's an _item, _she's our _daughter! Not The Bloody Destroyer…"_

"I'm sorry," Thierry said contritely, bowing his head, but it snapped straight back up and he was talking again, "Okay, Blaise… she will probably be too strong by her first birthday for them to use her in that way. Now, she's weak, she's…a baby, by the age of one there should be some witch showing in her."

"Is there anyway you could be wrong about this, Thierry?" Rashel cut in, "I mean, Blaise – the first one – wasn't that powerful, I mean – she was – but not to the lengths that you're talking about with Thea and Eric's kid."

"Yes, but…" Thierry trailed off, "people change every time they're reincarnated. Look at Hannah, she's the same person as she's always been, but she doesn't have the skills of a stone-age girl, or anything else for that matter that she did in her last life. This Blaise probably wont treat humans as bad as the other one did at first, after all her father's human, but she'll be the same person – inside."

"You can see why the enemy want her that bad though," Rashel said, not as though continuing the conversation, but muttering under her breath, speculating, "if she could put an end of the war just by dying…"

"Rashel!" a few people yelled, shocked. Eric wasn't one of them, although he wished he was, he looked over at Thea. Never had he felt so useless, so helpless, even when she had said there was no chance for them ever to be together, he had hope. Now…

"What? I'm not saying _we _should hurt the kid, I'm just saying…well – what's Eric and Thea's baby to the enemy? They don't care about a witch-human couple, or their kid. They're nothing to them, just one death – they've done worse."

Strangely, nothing could be worse than this. Of that, Eric was convinced.

Thierry scratched his head, "I can honestly say that I completely do not have a clue what to do," it was unreal hearing Thierry say that – Thierry, who always knew what to do – or so he'd have you believe – "I'm going to contact the rest of Circle Daybreak, the witch council, the lords of the shape shifters – and Galen and Keller – as soon as possible. In the meantime, I'm going to import some fighters to protect Eric, Thea and Blaise… I really don't know what else to do…"

On that note of hopelessness, everyone else went to their rooms, leaving Thea, Eric, Rosemund, Mrs. Ross and Blaise alone, staring at one another with tear-filled eyes. Eric was the only one not crying, unless you counted Blaise, who was sucking at her pacifier, unfazed about the conversation that had been around her. Eric shifted in his seat and carefully swung his legs so that he was sitting beside Thea, not lying behind her, then he put his arms around her – tentatively, as he'd done when they were first dating – she pulled away a moment then collapsed into them in sobs louder than those she'd been drawing, "why did it have to be our baby, why? Haven't we suffered enough?"

"It shouldn't have to be anybody's baby," a different voice said. His mother, speaking fairly seriously for once instead of every sentence gleeful or meant to embarrass him, she removed her glasses – they'd gotten steamed up – and wiped them, her eyes were brimming with tears, "no one should have to deal with this. No one."

Then Rosemund was hugging them fiercely, and Mrs. Ross had an arm around Eric's shoulders – clinging together, trying to get through this particular brand of nightmare.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

Poppy knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping. She knew it as surely as she knew that her soulmate was James Rasmussen, if she got caught Thierry and Hannah would only be disappointed with her, and annoyed. What could she possibly gain from eavesdropping? Thierry told them everything important anyway. So why should she eavesdrop while he made an important phone call to the other leaders of Circle Daybreak.

One, because it was so easy, it was like they were having a real Daybreak Council meeting in there, Thierry had something – as did the other leaders – which was like a speaker phone, but could be used over many different people, instead of having a conversation just to one person, he was talking to a dozen, at least, it was easy for Poppy to figure out what they were talking about instead of only listening to one side of the conversation.

Two, because she had seen something on Thierry's face when he talked to the soulmate couples. He wasn't just worried the enemy would get Blaise, there was something else underlying his fear.

Poppy wanted to know what it was.

Three, she had nothing better to do now that she had been waken up. She and James weren't talking anyway, because of his complete reluctance to even consider adoption – not even just at the ages that they were at, but for all forever, and Poppy wasn't having that. Even if Blaise was causing all this trouble, it wasn't her fault – and she was still the cutest thing Poppy had ever seen.

"this is a breakthrough," she didn't know who this particular leader was, but he sounded sly, not that Poppy formed opinions on people because of how they spoke. She had been too busy thinking of all this that she had taken her attention from the conversation and now she broke out of her trance-like thinking, "we could win the war with no need to even go to battle. Just one child to be the cost."

_Okay, _Poppy thought, _I don't form opinions on _how _people speak; I do by _what _they speak. _This guy was a monster, the dregs of society, why was he even with Daybreak if he thought like that? Or was he one of the one's who just wanted to be on the side of whatever side won?

"Are you _serious?" _this voice she could recognized: it belonged to Galen, and she was glad he'd said it or she would have charged in and said it herself, too bad he and Keller had had to be interrupted on their honeymoon, but that was _good _if he was going to be the only voice of reason, "we _can't _kill Thea and Eric's kid just because she happened to have the bad look to be born The Destroyer!"

"Have got to agree with Galen here," Keller's voice sailed through the line, and it was rare, because Galen and Keller rarely agreed on anything.

"Us too," Thierry said, probably speaking for himself and Hannah. The same fear that Poppy had sensed before in his speech, he was afraid that Daybreak too would turn against Thea, Eric and Blaise. Poppy was too.

"Well, of course you all agree," this time the person was a woman, but she sounded just as sly, "you can imagine yourselves in the same predicament. You're too close to the other soulmate couples, you don't want to hurt your friends, but this way we could win the war with only one child's blood spilled. Think about the thousands of lives we could save, just with the death of one child."

Now, Mother Cybelle said, "if we take an innocent child's life purposefully, then what separates us from the enemy?"

"The fact that we're fighting for peace," someone challenged.

"to achieve peace, you must prepare for war, not kill a baby," Aradia murmured in lifting tones.

"Is that what they teach you witches?" someone Poppy didn't recognize ask.

"Yeah, it's what they teach the witches, and us shape shifters, and the vampires and humans too obviously, maybe you just haven't had any teaching," Keller's angry tone came down the phone, "to justify killing a child is _sick."_

Now, Poppy sidled away from the door. She'd heard enough, enough to know how this was going to turn out.

Thierry and Hannah, Keller and Galen, Aradia, Mother Cybelle and maybe a few others were fighting for the kids life, but an equal number were wanting her dead. something told her that even if those who wanted her alive won the argument, the others would do what they pleased – trying to end this war.

_I've got to warn Eric and Thea, _she thought, sprinting down the corridor – not bothered now about not making any noise.


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm going on holiday tomorrow :D so, y'know, wont be able to finish this thing for another week or so, but feel free to review. If I have five reviews by the time I get back next week, I'll finish it :D**

**-Ash**

A flash of red disturbed the Ross's and Thea from their sobbing, not that they stopped straight away; mainly they just wiped their cheeks while more tears came. This flash's entry was announced by the prompt falling over of one of the chairs as she tripped over them and landed face down on the floor, "Ouchie."

"I heard Thierry talking to the council members," the flash said, picking herself up from the floor and running over to them, she was dancing to them, but not as though she meant to – more out of habit, "and, Gosh – I don't want to tell you this – but _some _of _Circle Daybreak _want Blaise too! It's horrible – horrible! They sound as bad as the Night World except for Thierry and Hannah, Galen and Keller, Mother Cybelle and Aradia – the rest of them are bloodthirsty…" she trailed off, looking behind them, when another two figures appeared in the doorway. Thea focused with fuzzy eyesight: the flash of red was Poppy, the figures Thierry and Hannah.

This new piece of news upset her, of course it did, but she couldn't be shocked. How was anything comparable to what she'd already been put through? She focused on Thierry's face – he looked angry and shamed, not angry at Poppy for listening in, something more.

"I thought someone was listening when I heard footsteps running," he said now, not with any particular affliction, "Thea, Poppy's right, but it's worse than that – much worse."

"Much…Worse…?" Thea choked out, "how could it get any worse? The Night World wants my baby dead, Daybreak does, what could be _worse_?" she didn't yell. She wanted to yell, she wanted to scream and shout and cry at the top of her voice, but somehow all energy to do so had left her.

"Thea…the Night World _didn't know _about Blaise, I've learnt from spies, they had _no idea! _It was another group that's after Blaise, someone aside from the Night World and Daybreak both," he paused, closed his eyes painfully, "they'll find out now. I'm sorry Thea, Eric… but, I think you had better go before the rest of Daybreak gets here."

"Go? Where are we supposed to go?" Eric asked.

"I…don't know…" Thierry admitted, "I'll think of something though. First you'll have to get out of the country, go anywhere – Europe, Australia…just away from here," he glanced at the red bomb beside him, "Poppy, you go with them, get Rashel and Quinn and James too."

"And us, of course," a sound came from the other side of the room. Everyone turned to see Morgead lazily stretch against the doorframe, "you'll need me and Jez, Maggie and Delos…"

"No!" Thierry was adamant, "we can't lose the Wild Powers! They're too important."

"Well, so is baby there," Morgead narrowed his eyes, "the Night World – or whoever – get her and the war is over without need for Jez and Delos… we should have maximum firepower protecting Blaise until her first birthday."

"Morgead…" Thea started – she didn't want anyone to get killed on account of Blaise, including Blaise of course, and especially not a Wild Power. Her baby wasn't going to win the war, not if they kept her safe, and that meant they still needed the Wild Powers.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to agree to this?" Thierry asked, groaning, a hand over his face.

"Because you know me well," another voice came, and this time it was Jez, "and I am not – repeat, _not_ – going to stay here when my friends are in danger. Nuh-huh, I'll sneak out if I have to. And _this time _I wont get caught."

"I suppose it's settled then – you'd better all go," Thierry said. Jez and Morgead left – presumably to get the others, unless they were planning to protect Blaise without even being with her – Thierry turned to Poppy, "Poppy, the combination on my safe is 34-59-23-43 – I have a feeling I'm going to regret telling you that – get as much money out as you'll need. You can't charge things to me anymore or use my credit cards, that would announce to the Night World where you are," he turned back to the Ross's and Thea, "you'll have to disappear for a year. Hopefully, they wont be able to find you – change locations every month – and…" Poppy ran off while he was given the instructions, everyone else stared at him blankly.

"a year?" Mrs. Ross looked shocked, "can't it be dealt with before then? I mean, I can't leave work for a year, and Thea and Eric have college and Roz has school…"

"The only solution I can think of is for you to all go home," Thierry frowned, "leaving Blaise with the others, of course – you might then be tortured on her whereabouts…" he trailed off, Mrs. Ross was pale, Thea and Eric holding onto Blaise fiercely, "that isn't a very good solution either – but this situation is so…"

"Hopeless," Eric supplied and Thierry looked down, "we're staying with our baby, Thierry."

"I knew you'd say that," Thierry nodded bleakly, "you might want to change your appearance a little, get coloured contacts or whatever, they're going to be looking for people matching your descriptions – obviously."

_Obviously, _Thea thought. How come it was so easy for them to think clearly when she couldn't form a coherent thought? It was because she wasn't their daughter, _obviously_; they didn't care as much. _Obviously_. She hated that word, when nothing was obvious any longer.

For the first time, she seemed to remember she was wearing nothing more but a white silky nightdress, "okay, we'll leave, first though, I'll need to change. They might be a little suspicious of someone wearing a bloodied nightdress and carrying a baby."

Thierry blinked, so did the Ross's, Hannah just smiled, "come with me, Thea, my clothes should fit you."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: haven't updated in a while. Mainly because of school, but I will now. I'm not sure whether I should continue this story or not, so if you like it or hate it PLEASE REVIEW. **

**Thank you.**

**Chapter 10.**

There was silence. Several great quotes worked themselves through Keller Drache's mine: Silence is Golden, Silence is the ultimate weapon of power, Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amid joy; they were all fine sayings, but really, Keller couldn't help thinking only one thing.

This silence was awful. Never-ending and terrible; it seemed to be centuries that she and Galen stared at one another as though their very eyes could pierce one another's skulls. The phone dropped from Galen's hand and onto the floor, making a repetitive beep.

And still they stared, still with the silence.

Galen was the first to speak, and it seemed to be with difficulty, Keller watched him choke and gulp a few times before he went into his sentence, "I cant believe…that they'd do that… to a baby."

Keller nodded her agreement and continued in monotone, "when your sister was killed the council were adamant about what a terrible thing it was to kill a child, then they go and…" she glanced at her husband, wondering whether perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say, the emotional wounds of losing his parents and little sister were still deep, Keller knew and she didn't want to hurt him, not how she had been hurt.

"That was different to the council," Galen said, not emotionlessly, but as though he was trying to restrain his emotions, "Brena was royalty, my parents were: Thea, Eric and Blaise…they're not. Killing Blaise can earn us something, killing Brena lost us something. They're hypocrites, all of them."

"Not all," Keller argued softly, "the witches were talking sense, it's those flipping vampires…werewolves…those…"

"Mostly, Keller," Galen shook his head, "it was _our _people."

The silence came again while both of them contemplated the animal ferocity of the shape shifters, how – even after all these years – perhaps they would be given another shame simply because one of their kind would kill The Destroyer.

"They'll listen to us, they'll…" Galen was pulling on thin air and they both knew it. They _wouldn't _listen, they did so only because they wanted to win the war, and listening to the First House, to the King and Queen of the First House was the best way to accomplish that, if they thought there was a way that they were _guaranteed, _nothing would stop them.

Keller held open her arms for a moment and they both instinctively toppled into one another, holding each other tight. This kind of terrible thing should only happen once in a lifetime, at worst, not over and over again. Sure, it didn't directly involve them this time, but it involved their friends, and that was the same thing.

"Are we going to Thierry's meeting or what?" Keller asked softly against the soft tan skin of her husbands neck.

"It's our honeymoon," Galen said hesitantly.

She knew that. They were in the Caribbean, and they generally didn't go there unless it was something like that. Somehow she also knew that Galen didn't give a damn about it when his friend's lives were in stake, and that he was just saying it for her sake. How were they meant to enjoy themselves, anyway?

Bbbbring! The phone rang and both of them jumped, they stared at one another for a long moment before Keller leaned over and picked the phone from the floor, "hello?"

"Keller? It's Thierry." She didn't say anything, what was she meant to say? 'Hi Thierry, hows everything now? Has it calmed in the last ten minutes?' no. She waited for more. "Hannah and I weren't sure what to do, what with Circle Daybreak coming over… even the one's who want to kill Blaise… we sent Thea and Eric away."

"Alone!" Galen burst out angrily, "they're not fighters! They'll never make it!"

"Not alone," a soothing voice came through the line. Hannah, "the other soulmate couples are going with them. Apart from Gillian and David…"

"Even the Wild Powers?" Keller asked in open-eyed amazement, her voice still was covered by monotone, so Thierry probably didn't realise how surprised she was.

"Yes. They wouldn't be talked out of it. But we're worried even that wont be enough fire power. Could you organize a team of shape shifters to cut them off at the next point? Wherever they decide to go?"

Keller looked at Galen and they both smiled.

They knew the perfect team.

**Ok, I want some help here. Should I:**

**Send Keller, Galen, Illiana, Winnie and Nissa to be that team?**

**Send a whole new team of my own creation and have Keller and Galen be at the meeting?**

**The same as option 1, only sending Keller but not Galen, so Galen can be at the meeting?**

**Also, where should I send them all?**

**Britain**

**Germany**

**Spain**

**Somewhere else in Europe (or other places if you can suggest them)**


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